Page 3 Advertisements Column 4

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11972, 15 September 1906, Page 3

THE LAND QUESTION. n NATIVE AREAS AVAILABLE FOR SETTLEMENT. DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. MR ORMOND'S VIEWS. "A COLD-BLOODED AND MONSTROUS PROPOSAL." (From Our Parliamentary Special). (By Telepraph.) WEULINGTON, September 15. Quito unexpectedly the land question was debated in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. The Hon. J. D. Ormond moved, in view of proper consideration of the measures promised by the Government for dealing with the native waste lands in the colony, that it was essential to have the return of native land recently submitted to the Council supplemented with such information as would inform Parliament of what blocks of a thousand acres and over described in the return were unoccupied or waste. Mr Ormond then launched out into a general survey of the lard question. He survived a point of order raised by tho Hon. George Jones, that he was not within his rights in discussing the land proposals of the Government at this stage, and then went on to contend that there was a much larger area of land shown to be available in the return than had been accounted for by the Minister for Lands in his recent specrh. The perpetual lease was a mistake, and it could not be expected that the holders of such leases would give up their rights for anything; but the freehold. If the .£50,000 limit was insisted on, and the 1000 acres first class and 5000 acres second class land made to form the basis of the future maximum holding, it would be found that capitalists only would be able to settle on the land. He discussed the varous aspects of the Government's policy at length, and declared that in the main it was the most cold-blooded ard monstrous proposal ever submitted to a Legislature. The Attorney-General interrupted to ask if the hon. member was not transgressing the Standing Orders in discussing the general policy of the Government on a motion such as he had moved. The Speaker said a good deal of latitude was required to have the subject discussed intelligently, but he thought Mr Ormond was exceeding that latitude. Being baulked in this direction, Mr Ormond said he was debarred from giving expression to all he intended to say, but it was clear that the lands for settlement policy was not to be pushed, and that the native lands were the only lands available for the poor man to settle on ; He would, however, have the subiect discussed in another way. He would not wait for the Land Bill, but would bring up a motion on the subject, and have it discussed in ■ this way. Auckland was the district most keenly interested, in the native land question." The return presented to the Council showed that there were 7.497,000 acres of native lands, and of this area he judged that two million acres were either occupied by natives or let by them to Europeans. This he considered a very liberal estimate. Another motion would be required to make provision for natives for all time. This meant that there was an area of 4,497,000 acres left available for settlement. He contrasted this estimate with the statement of the Native Minister that only half a million acres of native land would be available for settlement, and condemned the administration of the Native Department. If anything was to be accomplished in the future there »W4 lia-v-i; to be ft, muc'i r.iorc vigorous administration of the Native Department. The great bulk of the native land in the North Island was at the present time absolutely inaccessible. Some of it had magnificent forests, but it could rot be expected that the natives would do anything with it. He urged that the Native Land Courts should sit and determine what lands the natives could properly cultivate and what was required for their immediate needs and those of H\eir descendants, and the balance should be thrown open for settlement. The idea of the Native Minister was that these lands should s;o to build up a past Maori landlord, as in this country. This would be to the absolute detriment and- ruin of the native race. The true policy for the country in regard to native lands was the one he had sketched. The Courts should do their duty. He did not believe, however, that people would co into the back country to tame these wildernesses unless they had some stimulus in the shape of the freehold held out to them. (A voice — "No."). Within the next few years he believed it would bo possible to have twenty or thirty thousand people settled on these wastes. He knew something of the settlement of this class of land. By judicious settlements and capable administration a great deal could be done. The present condition of things should not be allowed to continue. The Hon. T. Kelly seconded the motion. The colony could not much longer tolerate millions of acres of Crown lands to be idle while its young men were hunting for land. People had to live by work, and it scorned anything but just that the white population should go on toiling while the native lived in luxurious idleness. The native waste land in the North Inland* was nearly one half the total area. Tho Hon. Mr Carncross — A great part of it is useless mountain tops, etc. The Hon. J. E. Jenkinson— Yes. Half of it is useless. The Hon. T. Ketmedv Macdonald — There are millions of acres fit for settlement. Mr Kelly asked the Council to consider what it would mean to the country if even three million acres of native land was thrown open for settlement. The pro.ductiveness of the country would be added to an enormous extent. At this stage the debate was interrupted b ythe Hon. T. K. Macdonald, who moved that it should be adjourned until Tues-day next. This suggestion was agreed to on the voices. An English Opinion. ' ♦ -LONDON, September 11. The Manchester Guardian declares 'hat Sir J. G. Ward's Land Bill ought «o c< nfirm New Zealand's lead in wealth * id social prosperity. THE SALE OF POISONS. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 14. A deputation l'rom the Pharmacy Board of New Zealand, waited on the "Minister for Public Health, and urged the adoption by tho Government of a Bill which it had prepared reforming the law affecting the salo of poison. The Bill provide* for comyulcorv registration of all sellers of poisons other than medical practitioners and l'egistered chemists. Amongst other things it acts out that morphia and preparations containing morphia are only to be sold where included in a prescription on the order of a mcSicnl practitioner known to the seller. The police are to r^oe to the enforcement of the Act. The Minister said he thought the Bill very reasonable. He recognised same change of v the law was necessary, aad hoped to effect it thifl session. SO TAla I S (R O-T A Y-L, IS) SKIN liUVIVEIR. THY IT.